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If you want to climb a mountain, travel or complete other lofty goals, you have the makings of a “bucket list”. Writer Amar Mistry explains how he made his dreams a reality—and how you can, too.
Text by: Amar MistryCountry: United Kingdom

A “bucket list” is a list of activities, destinations and other experiences you want to do before you die. Some people make them to ensure they do not forget about their hopes and dreams.

A fellow runner, Caroline from Manchester, recalls when she decided to run the marathon with me:

“I’d always wanted to do it, but never had a good reason or timing was never right. When Amar mentioned he was running and that by next year I’d have ticked off a bucket list item, it really appealed to me. I signed up, trained and now have the medal!”

The origin of the term is not clear, but it is thought to have come from the phrase “kick the bucket”, which is used to describe dying. In John Badcock’s Slang Dictionary from 1823, a man about to be executed is described as standing on a bucket with a noose around his neck, and when the bucket is kicked away, the man is killed.

Each idea has at least a loose link, but language is such that it could be any of the theories, none of them, or perhaps even each of them. Nevertheless the term has caught on and is accepted worldwide. U.S. President Barack Obama used it in a speech in April 2015 in a very humorous way as a fauxrhyming word.

In popular culture, the film “The Bucket List” follows two ailing old men that pursue all of the things they wished they had done in their life. StarringMorgan Freeman and Jack Nicholson, the movie also shows how the characters reflect on their lives.

Websites allow people to record their bucket list items and offer reviews to others who are considering doing the same thing. BucketList, a company based in Canada, has created a platform that has helped connect people from across the world who have the same hopes and dreams. For instance, before running the marathon, I searched for people who had run one, because much of the information about the races was from professionals. As an amateur runner, hearing from people in the same boat really helped give me a layman’s perspective on the challenges I faced.

Some people will review their bucket lists from time to time, perhaps when making New Year’s resolutions. Others will make the list and forget about it, coming back to it later to realise they have already completed a lot of the items.

“I’ve had a bucket list from a very young age, it helps with my life plan, you know,” says Rene of Guinea. “I’ve added and crossed off many, many things, and still [have] many, many to go—but the biggest, of course, has to be living in Japan. I spent six months there, and it was one of the best experiences of my life! Next, is the Great Wall!”

I wrote one five years ago just after finishing university and forgot about it for a while.

On my bucket list are travel goals, things to see or do across the world, including visiting Japan, climbing the Great Wall of China and seeing the Northern Lights. There are a few quirkier things too, such as baking some brownies from scratch or learning to salsa. Some other notable additions include playing chess in the street, paying for a stranger’s meal, and building a massive snowman.

After a few years, I came across my list and realised I had completed a few things.

A lot of people don’t even have a list, but just accept that some things are a bucket list item, like swimming with dolphins.

“Swimming with dolphins was a childhood dream,” says Jess, 27, of London. “It’s amazing how intelligent they are.

Whilst I don’t have an official bucket list, there are a few things that I want to do before I die, namely bungee jumping and skydiving. I’ve already swum with dolphins, which is the main thing I always wanted to do, and I’ve been lucky to have some great travel experiences!”

“I don’t have a bucket list—I feel as though I’d end up doing things not because I want to, but just to finish a checklist,” he says. “For me it would take the enjoyment out of it and ruin the moment; I like being spontaneous rather than having a plan. The closest thing to a bucket list item I’d probably like to do would be to live in New York someday.”

My next bucket list item is climbing Mount Kilimanjaro. After a friend announced a wedding in Zanzibar, I decided to combine my wedding attendance with a six- or seven-day trek up the tallest mountain in Africa. I drafted several other climbers, and we’re hoping to reach the summit in early August before a well- deservedbreak on the beach in Zanzibar. I managed to convince my fellow climbers by saying, “Everybody wants to cross this off their bucket list—why not now?”